Lithium-transition metal oxides are materials presently used or under development for the electrodes of lithium ion batteries. The transition metals Co, Mn, Ni, Ti, and V have received particular attention for this application. Recently, it has become apparent that a smaller particle size and a narrower particle size distribution are beneficial for producing electrodes, which retain their charging capacity at high charging and discharging rates.
A method to prepare lithium titanate from inorganic solutions or suspensions is described in US Pat. Appln. Pub. 2003/0017104 A1, the relevant portions of which are incorporated herein by reference. That application describes a process to produce lithium titanate crystallites. The process achieves good phase and size control in the range of 5 to 2000 nm. In general, the process includes providing a source of lithium titanate with a particle size smaller than the desired particle size and re-firing the lithium titanate under conditions to produce a final lithium titanate having a desired particle size with a narrow size distribution and controlled surface area.
That application describes that a source of lithium titanate is from a process that includes forming a blend that comprises titanium and lithium. The blend is evaporated to form homogeneous particles containing a lithium salt and titanium dioxide. The evaporation is conducted at a temperature above the boiling point of the solution in the blend but below the temperature where reaction of the lithium salt and the titanium dioxide occurs. The homogeneous particles are calcined to form lithium titanate.
The lithium titanate is milled or crushed to a size smaller than the desired size of the final product. Finally, the milled lithium titanate is re-fired under conditions to produce lithium titanate having a desired surface area and size distribution.
The blend of titanium and lithium can be provided from a variety of suitable sources. For example, the blend of titanium and lithium is provided as aqueous chloride solutions of titanium and lithium. Alternatively, the blend of titanium and lithium is provided as a suspension of amorphous titanium dioxide in a lithium solution. In this instance, the lithium solution can be formed from a source of lithium selected from the group consisting of lithium chloride, lithium nitrate, lithium hydroxide, lithium sulfate, lithium oxide, lithium fluoride, lithium bromide, and mixtures thereof. In yet another alternative, lithium titanate, made by any known means and having a particle size smaller than the particle size of the desired product, can be used as the source of lithium and titanium for the re-firing step, where crystals are grown to the desired size.
A method to prepare mixed metal oxides and metal oxide compounds is also described in US Pat. Appln. Publication US 2002/0071806 A1 the relevant portions of which are incorporated herein by reference. This method applies to mixed oxides of lithium and transition metals. Products made according to this patent application can be used as starting materials for the process of the present invention.
Materials commercially available for the manufacture of battery electrodes generally have a wide particle size distribution and include large particles of several microns in size as well as very fine dust. Therefore, there is a need for materials having a narrow size distribution and having a controlled surface area for such applications as electrodes for batteries.